Business Intelligence Case Study: Equity Residential. Saad Syed May 8, 2013

Transcription

1 Business Intelligence Case Study: Equity Residential Saad Syed May 8, 2013

2 Presentation Agenda Firm Profile Engagement Drivers BI Challenges Engagement Goals Emtec Solution 2

3 Equity Residential The largest property management company in North America and member of the S&P 500 Index. Oversees more than 119,000 residential units across 14 states, with total market value in excess of $17B. Maintains a strict focus towards the acquisition, development, and management of high quality apartment properties in top U.S. growth markets. 3

4 Engagement Drivers Reporting structure that was segregated into multiple field and corporate groups that provided operational and financial reports. Data consumers are spread across the organization with unique data needs Excel was the primary reporting/analytical tool Essbase used for data aggregation with independent feeds from transactional system. There was no link between summary and detailed data No transparent methodology to tie summary data in Essbase with transactional data system While able to support individually sourced initiatives, organizational level decision making relied on data that varied based on its source Due to the manual manipulation needed, analytical initiatives took so long to complete that they were less impactful. Due to the number of initial and follow-up reports needed, standard business processes took multiple weeks to complete. 4

5 BI Challenges - Business Multiple data silos: Data reaching business user from multiple groups Excel-based reporting: Only reporting tool for business user Manual calculations: Many KPIs calculated manually in Excel No standard definitions: Risk of inconsistent calculations and meanings Only static reports: Business users cannot drill into the supporting data Delay in accessing business critical data: Delays from 1-2 weeks Multiple reports for same information: Stitching and recalculation efforts 5

6 BI Challenges - IT Disparate data silos: Through segregation of reporting responsibilities and multiple data aggregation tools, there are several data silos within organization Poor data quality: Varying data governance in place on both business and IT side. Data duplication and conflicts are common Repetition of efforts: Due to requests for summary analytics and subsequent requests for detailed data, report writers were often duplicating their prior efforts. Slow analytical process: Excel based analytical process caused increased workload on IT support. 6

7 Emtec Engagement Goals Single version of truth Transparent flow of data BI for everyone Scalable solution 7

8 Single Version of Truth Establish single version of truth: Develop a centralized enterprise information model that serves universal reporting needs. Build an information delivery infrastructure: Put the right tools in place to establish the right infrastructure and standards Build a foundation for a true enterprise data warehouse: Starting with select financial and operational metrics, design a scalable solution that can be expanded to incorporate all aspects of organizational reporting. 8

9 Transparent Flow of Data Enable automated integration of Essbase cube and transactional system Create enterprise wide calculations for specific KPIs Allow reports to drill seamlessly from summary to transactional data 9

10 BI for Everyone Build a self service BI model that enables end users to get to their data on their own, without relying on report writers Provide end users with ad-hoc capability Replace Excel with a true BI centric toolset Transform static reports into interactive dashboards and drillable reports 10

11 Scalable Solution Reportable data mart that can grow to be an enterprise data warehouse Start with a select operational and finance groups to establish momentum Expand to rest of the organization one group at a time Build a framework to extend BI to users who have no exposure to BI 11

12 Emtec Solution With the implementation of the data mart framework and OBIEE the reporting times for month-end financials has been reduced from 1-2 weeks to a single day Interactive dashboards helped make the conducting quarterly quality review process more interactive, helping leadership make impactful decisions quicker. The phased approach of implementation introduced instant gratification and built the groundwork for further integration and enhancements 12

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